The present invention relates to agricultural implements and more particularly relates to such implements which include apparatus that is adapted for being powered by the power take-off of a towing tractor.
Tractors are provided with a drawbar for towing implements therebehind. However, because the hitch point of the drawbar is relatively close to the tractor, the tractor cannot be turned sharply because the inside rear tractor tire will then engage the implement tongue.
Also, in the case where the tractor power take-off (PTO) is being used to power apparatus of the implement, the driveline bearings and joints are subjected to severe radial loadings during turns, the loads increasing as the turns tighten. The drivelines must also telescope during turns and this results in damaging levels of thrust being imposed on the drivelines when they telescope under load.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,366,877 granted to Vissers et al on Jan. 4, 1983 and 4,525,987 granted to Werner et al on July 2, 1985 both disclose designs which overcome one or more of the above-mentioned problems attendant with implements coupled to tractor drawbars. However, the implements in each of these patents includes a hitch adapter and transmission assembly which are integrally fashioned resulting in rather complicated and, thus, expensive assemblies. Furthermore, there is no way of using the hitch adapter of one implement for towing another.